Show or Do not show Windows Store apps on Taskbar in Windows 8.1

The Windows 8.1 Update has added quite a few new features. You can now pin the Windows Store apps too to the taskbar. Moreover, whenever these Modern Apps run, you will see their icon in the taskbar. This makes the process of switching between apps right from the Desktop a lot easier.

Show or Do not show Windows Store apps on the taskbar

But if you wish, you can disable this feature and prevent Windows Store Apps from being displayed on Windows 8.1 Taskbar. The Windows 8.1 Update has provided for just such a setting.

To access this setting, right-click on the Windows 8.1 taskbar and select Properties. Under the Taskbar tab, you will see a new setting – Show Windows Store apps on the taskbar, which is checked by default. Uncheck it and click Apply.

Now the Windows Store apps will not display their icons on the taskbar whenever they run.

A value of 1 will for StoreAppsOnTaskbar show the app on the taskbar, whereas a value of 0 will disable showing the icon on the taskbar.

If you do this, you may not see the Minimize option for the Windows Store Apps. You will however still see the ‘X’ Close button and you will still be able to pin these apps to the taskbar.

If you wish to prevent users from pinning Windows Store apps to the taskbar, you will have to change the Group Policy setting. More on this tomorrow.

After applying the Windows 8.1 Update, you will also notice some change in behavior. Now, closing the Windows Store App will take you to the previously used App. Closing all Windows Store Apps will take you to the Desktop.

The Windows 8.1 Update or KB2919355 is already being offered to Windows 8.1 users, and we hope you have installed it by now. In the next update for Windows 8.1, Microsoft is expected to return the Start Menu back to this operating system!

Check this post to learn how you can use Group Policy, if you do not want to allow pinning Store app to the Taskbar in Windows 8.1.

Do let us know how you are liking the Windows 8.1 Update.

In Windows 10, when you minimize the Store app, its icon will automatically show on the taskbar.

Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP Awardee in Windows (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP. Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware.